What you should know about the Childrens Referendum

If you love children, you’ll vote yes. Why wouldn’t you? If you are one of the less than 50% of the nation who actually votes, you wouldn’t want to seem as if you didn’t care about children would you? And you know something? That’s exactly what the state are banking on.

So why is it all a lie? Well apart from the obvious “you should never trust an Irish government with anything” logic there are plenty of reasons to be wary. A little known fact about Bunreacht na Heireann is that in Ireland, the family unit are the head of the state. To put that simply, in Ireland there is no greater power in society than the family. Families are higher up the ladder than police, solicitors, judges and even the all powerful government. Article 41.1 states:

“The State recognises the Family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of Society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law. 2° The State, therefore, guarantees to protect the Family in its constitution and authority, as the necessary basis of social order and as indispensable to the welfare of the Nation and the State.“

If you vote yes in November, you’ll be surrendering the rights of the family unit, effectively making the constitution mere toilet paper. How?? Because if you remove the power of the family unit, you remove the head of the state. And who do you think will take that power? Oh come on, have a guess… ooh for you. That’s right. The government. But it doesn’t end there, there’s more. Article 42.4 states:

“The State shall provide for free primary education and shall endeavour to supplement and give reasonable aid to private and corporate educational initiative, and, when the public good requires it, provide other educational facilities or institutions with due regard, however, for the rights of parents, especially in the matter of religious and moral formation.“

That’s right, you guessed it. No more free primary education. OK ok, I know. Who the hell gets free primary education in this country? But it’s the law. Funny thing is, this is completely absent from the proposed amendments. Oh and did you know? Children already have rights in Ireland. The constitution is explicit in this. Article 42.5 states:

“In exceptional cases, where the parents for physical or moral reasons fail in their duty towards their children, the State as guardian of the common good, by appropriate means shall endeavour to supply the place of the parents, but always with due regard for the natural and imprescriptible rights of the child.“

Did you see that? It’s right there …. “the natural and imprescriptible rights of the child“. So why are you being asked to vote for something that already exists? That wording in there is important too. “By appropriate means” is to be replaced with “by proportionate means” which will actually remove children’s rights. I know, big words … complicated stuff eh? It means that the state is no longer required to fully see out its role as “guardian of the common good” and will now only cater for the child as long as budgets allow. Interesting isn’t it?

Now onto the changes regarding adoption. Why would we need this change? In short, we don’t. But why does Enda Kenny want this change? I’ll tell you. Currently in Ireland 90% of all children in state custody are with foster parents. A foster parent receives a lot of money from the state. €325 p/w for every single child 12 years or younger and €352 p/w for every single child over the age of 12. With current numbers stating that the state is currently taking care of 4500 children. That’s a lot of money. And with the Troika, the IMF and bondholders to be thinking of, how on earth can Enda Kenny allow Joan Burton to continue that mad give away?

So in steps that yolk, Francis Fitzgerald. A woman who in 1980’s Ballymun was famous in her role for splitting up families and taking children from parents. And guess what? She is seeking to constitutionalise that practise with adoptions now. After all, think how much money the state will save having your children adopted rather than fostered. And if forced adoption on it’s own doesn’t frighten you, I implore you to google Forced Adoption in the UK, where adoption is big business. Where adoption is quota based and generates bonus government payments to civil servants.

Now I would never dream of telling you how to cast your vote. Unlike the government I actually respect your right to vote and how you will do so. But it is damned well important that you research this particular referendum. And by research I do not mean watch RTE or listen to Newstalk. We are, after all, voting on the implicit rights of the family and children. And if you love children, then you had better be a responsible voter and actually KNOW what it is you’re voting on.

I could have taken the view, “this state has proven time and time again that when it is in charge of children’s health and welfare, it ALWAYS fails miserably” and I could have written about the sexual abuse, accidental deaths, manslaughter and suicides of children while in state care, but you already know all this. And you already know how many times the state has tried to cover up it’s involvement in such stories. But I wanted you to ask yourself only one question… “If I vote yes, will it really be the beginning of a better life for all Irish children?”

Another way of looking at it would be, remember all those pre-election promises that were all completely broken? No sorry, I can’t say that… they were not promises, they were lies. Well, do you think you can trust those same liars now? And if not, would it be responsible of you to allow the state the power of determining what’s best for your children? Personally, I wouldn’t trust them to run an ant farm. But I am only one voter. What you do is up to you, so please. Look into your child’s eyes and think before you decide.”

5 Comments on What you should know about the Childrens Referendum

What absolute, complete and utter nonsense. The only bit I can agree on is that people should inform themselves. Some of the complete clangers here:

– Free education is gone. No it’s not. Anyone with even a passing understanding of the changes being made would realise that the article in question (42.4) is not even changing. This is an indisputable fact. The author has it wrong.

– The family is the head of state: No, it’s not. The family is recognised as the “fundamental unit group of Society”, which it will continue to be in Article 41.1, which is also unchanged. “Fundamental unit group” simply means that it is the basic unit of society in the same way that an atom could be considered the basic unit of matter (to use an analogy that would send physicists everywhere into righteous indignation”. The Irish Constitution does not set out a ladder of important groups. And it says the President is head of state, not the family.

I wonder if the author would have the power of his convictions by changing this article to correct these blatant errors and make it clear that the articles he seems to think are being removed to the detriment of the family unit and free education are in actual fact, not changing at all.

That has to be the most inaccurate analysis I’ve seen yet. The first half of the article is all about how much we will lose without 41.1 (Family as primary unit) 45.4 (Education) etc. The only article being removed is 45.5, the rest will remain as they are. So the first half is pointless inaccurate scaremongering (and not even just in a “my interpretation is different to yours” sort of way, its just completely factually inaccurate).

“In exceptional cases, where the parents for physical or moral reasons fail in their duty towards their children, the State as guardian of the common good, by appropriate means shall endeavour to supply the place of the parents, but always with due regard for the natural and imprescriptible rights of the child.”

is being removed. Note that this allows for children to be removed for unspecified “moral” reasons. Also there doesn’t need to be any specific legislation. The direct replacement is

“2 1° In exceptional cases, where the parents, regardless of their marital status, fail in their duty towards their children to such extent that the safety or welfare of any of their children is likely to be prejudicially affected, the State as guardian of the common good shall, by proportionate means as provided by law, endeavour to supply the place of the parents, but always with due regard for the natural and imprescriptible rights of the child.”

Which frankly to my mind is an improvement, it now requires the process to be governed by actual laws and removes the somewhat vague moral aspect.

The rest of the changes allow for parents to voluntarily put children up for adoption and to allow for children of married couples if taken into care to possibly be adopted. I’m not sure anyone could argue about the first part since its voluntary. The second bit is possibly contentious if you are starting from the belief that the government is evil/incompetent at all levels to begin with. In practice though, it is aimed at helping kids who can’t be adopted and can’t go back to parents (for whatever reason) from spending their entire childhood moving from foster home to foster home.

The author says at the end about “abuse deaths manslaughters and suicides” of children in state care. The changes if anything make it harder (or at least more accountable) in taking children into care, and give a number a significant outlet for leaving state care who currently do not have one.

Final thought, the author, “Truthful Irish” is a writer with the “Sovereign Independent”. Its worth reading to see where he/she is coming from (if you are interested in the “New World Order”, climate change theory as an agent of genocide, forced depopulation by compulsory vaccination etc).

Excellent post. I think it really hits home as you have quoted the consistition and explained how that related to our lives. Whether correct or not, I think many of us often don’t understand how our political system works. And perhaps that is manipulated, at times. I understand how this can be frustrating to the more politically minded or aware citizens whereby you feel like shaking the masses to shouting ‘wake up!’ . However, despite our reputation we are not a nation of fighters and on a ground level I think many are quietly struggling with day today issues of money, and I know of many families suffering with mental health issues – particuliarily it would seem that are effecting our children, and therefore all of us but particularily the family. When your family are vulnerable, all energy is naturally focused on them and perhaps it is not surprising that we don’t have the head space or strength to address the bigger picture. That defense said, I do beleive too many in Ireland have the attitude of ‘as long as I’m alright, Jack…’ Holding on to the egotists view of life, community and nationalism. I think a post like this that is clearly laid out and eloquently written has a far greater impact than one that has elements of rant or makes the reader feel they are politically inept. You’ve given me food for thought (excuse the cliche) and discussion for over the traditional Sunday dinner. No doubt my mother won’t agree though! But at least a lively debate before everyone settles down to Downton Abbey and its version of Anglo Irish relations of the time. Well done, Eamonn. Ps I should check for typos but I’m in dire need of coffee..priorities!